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Mistakes end Nekoosa Legion's season

Michael Kommer
8:56 p.m. CDT August 2, 2014

Nekoosa pitcher Zach Arendt makes his delivery to the plate during the game against Denmark in the American Legion class A state tournament at Holland Field in Nekoosa Saturday afternoon.
(Photo:
Erin Connell/For Central Wisconsin Sunday
)

NEKOOSA – After taking advantage of key mistakes, the Nekoosa Legion baseball team was three outs away from advancing to the final day of competition of the Class A American Legion state tournament.

Unfortunately for Nekoosa, Denmark had other plans.

Denmark scored the equalizer in the top of the seventh inning and notched the winning run on a double steal in the eighth as Nekoosa saw its season come to an end Saturday afternoon by a 5-4 margin at Holland Field.

"It never should have gotten to that point," Nekoosa coach Bob Atkinson said. "We should have ended the game in seven innings and be playing (Sunday)."

The mistakes that cost Nekoosa came in the top of the eighth inning, when after Denmark's Ryan Havlovitz reached on a lead-off single, he stood at third after an infield single by Marcus Pribyl. Pribyl attempted to steal second base, but as he darted back and forth between the bases, Havlovitz was able to steal home for what was the winning run.

"I give credit to Denmark," Atkinson said. "They battled back after losing an early lead and took advantage of our mistakes."

Nekoosa trailed 3-0 after the first inning, but answered back in the third inning with four hits and a Denmark error to take a 4-3 advantage. Nekoosa had singles by Zach Arendt, Conor Schauer, Riley Erickson and Jared Olson, with Olson's being the big blow when he knocked in Erickson and Aaron Brost, who reached on an error.

That was the only inning in which Nekoosa earned a hit and final frame in which they had a baserunner.

With the lead, Nekoosa's defense was able to keep Denmark off the board, with a big save coming in the fifth inning when Nekoosa was able to cut down a runner at third.

Denmark forced a tie in the top of the seventh inning when Josh Bonlander led off with a single and came home on a sacrifice fly to force extra innings.

"I'm proud of the kids," Atkinson said. "We got beat 15-0 on Wednesday but battled back to win our last two games and were in position to win today, but we need to learn to finish."